Antarctica phase VI (2006-2010)

Content

AMBIO aims to explore the microbial
diversity on the Antarctic continent. Microorganisms dominate
most Antarctic ecosystems, they form the basis of the food webs
and are the main actors in the biogeochemical cycles. However,
little is known about their diversity. We therefore lack the
baseline information needed to understand the contribution of
various processes responsible for the geographical patterns in
microbial diversity and community composition and to monitor
possible future changes due the ecosystem changes and/or human
introductions.
In the frame of the International Polar Year, AMBIO will take
part in the IPY MERGE (# 55) project concerning the microbial
and ecological responses to global environmental changes in Polar
Regions. It will also participate in the SCAR programme “Evolution
and Biodiversity in Antarctica”.

Objectives

The AMBIO project aims to determine the microbial diversity
in Antarctic aquatic ecosystems, using an integrated and
standardised analysis.

The specific objectives are:

To explore and
discover the microbial diversity in wet terrestrial habitats
in Sub-Antarctica, maritime and continental Antarctica.

To enlarge the database of ribosomal RNA operon sequences
of bacteria, cyanobacteria and microalgae through the collection
and analysis of new samples.

To enlarge the collections of Antarctic bacteria (particularly
Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes), cyanobacteria, green
algae and diatoms, with new characterised isolates.

To study the community turnover within each taxonomic
group among different/comparable habitats along ecological
and geographical gradients.

To select in each of the taxonomic groups, particular
taxa that displays striking distribution patterns (environmental
specialisations, potentially endemic or cosmopolitan)
for further detailed study (specific genotypic analyses
on a large number of varied samples). This approach will
enable to better analyse the importance of ecological and
historic factors.

To identify regions of unique microbial diversity
that deserve to be protected.